Alhambra adds measure seeking to ban data centers to November ballot
The Alhambra City Council has unanimously voted to place a measure on the November ballot that, if passed by voters, would enact a citywide ban on data centers. This decision follows similar actions in Monterey Park, which recently became the first California city to pass such a ban through a public vote, and ongoing opposition efforts by local resident groups.
The Alhambra City Council recently voted unanimously to include a measure on the November general election ballot that would prohibit data centers throughout the city. If approved by local voters, Alhambra would become the second city in California to implement such a ban via public referendum.
This move by Alhambra follows a similar precedent set by Monterey Park in June, which passed its own ban on data centers. The Alhambra City Council had previously established a formal definition for data centers and added them to a list of prohibited facilities within office and industrial zones. The upcoming ballot measure aims to expand this prohibition citywide.
Andrew Yip, an Alhambra resident and organizer with SGV Progressive Action, highlighted the importance of clear ballot language during the council meeting, referencing confusion over Monterey Park's "Measure NDC." Citizen groups like No Data Centers San Gabriel Valley and No Data Center in Monterey Park have been actively organizing against data center construction and related infrastructure, contributing to the withdrawal of a proposed data center in Monterey Park in March and the rejection of a storage system in Covina in June. Alhambra's proposed ban requires a simple majority vote to pass.